Campanula plant named &#39;PKMP11&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Campanula  plant named ‘PKMP11’, characterized by its compact plant habit; globular plant form; vigorous growth habit; upright dark violet buds and flowers, and small leaves.

Latin name of genus and species of the plant claimed: Campanula portenschlagiana Schult.

Variety denomination: ‘PKMP11’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Campanula plant, botanically known as Campanula portenschlagiana Schult., commonly known as Dalmatian Bellflower, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘PKMP11’.

The new Campanula, ‘PKMP11’, is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor, Christian Hald Madsen, in Søhus, Denmark. The new Campanula originated from a population produced from an open pollinated cross made by the inventor in October 2011 with an unpatented, proprietary selection as the female parent and a group of unpatented, proprietary selections as possible male parents. The new Campanula ‘PKMP11’ was discovered and selected by the inventor in October 2012 as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated population in a controlled environment in Søhus, Denmark. The inventor selected ‘PKMP11’ on the basis of its compact and freely flowering plant habit and dark purple flowers.

Asexual reproduction of the new Campanula cultivar by terminal cuttings has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivar reproduces true-to-type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘PKMP11’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘PKMP11’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit with short upright stems.     -   2. Bushy globular plant form.     -   3. Vigorous growth habit, but still needing less chemical growth         retardation.     -   4. Dark violet flowers.     -   5. No need for vernalization

Plants of the cultivar ‘PKMP11’ can be compared to the Campanula portenschlagiana Schult. cultivar ‘PKMP05’ (patented, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,188). In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the inventor in Søhus, Denmark, plants of the instant cultivar ‘PKMP11’ and plants of the cultivar ‘PKMP05’ differ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of ‘PKMP11’ have darker buds and flowers than plants         of ‘PKMP05’.     -   2. Plants of ‘PKMP11’ have fewer flower buds than ‘PKMP05’.     -   3. Plants of ‘PKMP11’ have a purple stigma compared to the white         of ‘PKMP05’

Data on the plants of the parent varieties are no longer available for comparison with plants of the new cultivar Campanula ‘PKMP11’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Campanula ‘PKMP11’, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which more accurately describe the actual colors of ‘PKMP11’.

FIG. 1 comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of PKMP11 grown in a 10.5 cm pot.

FIG. 2 comprises a close-up view of inflorescence of PKMP11.

FIG. 3 is a comparison view of a typical flowering plant of PKMP11 with a typical flowering plant of PKMP05.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Campanula ‘PKMP11’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, day length, and fertility level without any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photographs, together with the following observations, measurements and values describe plants of the new Campanula ‘PKMP11’ as grown under greenhouse conditions.

The age of the ‘PKMP11’ plants described is 4 months after propagation. Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.), 5^(th) edition, except where general colors of ordinary significance are used.

-   Classification:     -   -   Botanical.—Campanula portenschlagiana Schult. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female or seed parent.—Campanula portenschlagiana Schult             unpatented, proprietary selection.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Campanula portenschlagiana Schult             unpatented, proprietary selection. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 10 to 14 days at 18 to 21° C.             in tunnels in a greenhouse.         -   Root description.—Fine, well branched. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Perennial, rosette plant with upright plant habit.             Campanulate flowers in panicles. Freely branching with             lateral branches forming at every node; dense and bushy.         -   Crop time.—After rooting, about 14 weeks are required to             produce finished flowering plants in 10.5 cm pots.         -   Plant height (from soil level to top of plant plane).—About             15 cm.         -   Vigor.—Vigorous growth rate. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Single, dentate, cordate, palmate venation.         -   Leaf length.—up to 20 mm.         -   Leaf width.—up to 28 mm.         -   Apex.—Rounded.         -   Base.—Cordate.         -   Margin.—Broadly dentate, weakly waved.         -   Texture.—Glabrous, little succulent.         -   Color.—Upper Surface, RHS N137A, Green Lower Surface,             between RHS 137BC (Green) and RHS 191A (greyed green).         -   Venation color.—lighter green than leaf blade, but areas too             small to determine R.H.S. values. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and shape.—Single, upright, campanulate             flowers in panicles with up to three flowers at lateral             branches, flowers with small star shaped calyx.         -   Natural flowering season.—Continuous throughout spring and             summer. Season can be extended through long day treatments,             no vernalization needed.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers up to three weeks.             Flowers persistent.         -   Inflorescence size.—Length: up to 13 cm.         -   Flowers.—Length: About 20 mm Diameter: About 28 mm.         -   Corolla.—Length of tube: 17 mm Length of lobe: 10 mm Width             of lobe: 6 mm. Tip of lobe: acute.         -   Corolla color.—Upper and Lower surfaces, between RHS N87A             and RHS N82A, violet.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Free and sessile. Quantity per             flower: 5. Width: 2 mm. Overall shape: Triangular Tip:             Acute. Margin: Entire. Color (mature and immature): Upper             and lower surfaces: Green and purple, colors mixed but             purple is more prominent at tip and margins (areas too small             to give R.H.S. values) Pedicel: Length: up to 20 mm             Diameter: About 1 mm Color: RHS 144A, yellow-green. Upper             part can be purple. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistil and Stigma: Shape: Conspicuous Tripartite             Color: RHS N85A, violet. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Campanula plant named ‘PKMP11’, as illustrated and described herein. 